


Minds and Hearts

by LannisterQueen



Category: Warcraft - All Media Types, World of Warcraft
Genre: F/M, and miss how cute they were in tides of darkness, and want them to go back to it, kasndfjksndf, sometimes I have feels, this is how i cope
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-29
Updated: 2020-04-29
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:40:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23904010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LannisterQueen/pseuds/LannisterQueen
Summary: And he is grateful for it, he really is, that Alleria is still here, still in his arms, that neither his mistakes nor hers have driven them apart; yet chest tightens with feelings he can’t quite silence, longing getting the best of him. Would that he could touch her again, if only one more time, knowing to etch it in his memory as perfectly as his admittedly imperfect human memory would be able to.
Relationships: Turalyon/Alleria Windrunner
Comments: 4
Kudos: 16





	Minds and Hearts

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was brought to you by my ship feelings and wishful thinking  
> I hope you'll like it c:

He can't touch her, but he likes when she lays on his chest, a gloved hand running through her golden hair. He can't feel it, not as he would have liked to (not as he once did, so very long ago and not as long as he felt at all, for it had been decades instead of centuries that had passed on Azeroth); but he can imagine the sensation, rebuild it from memory, the impossible silkiness of it, how soft it would have felt against his skin. Her scent is his favorite thing, closest sort of sensory closeness that they have at all, now. For once, she is close enough Turalyon can breathe it in, scent that had a hint of honey, a hint of earthy, fresh and subtly flowery like the breed of smaller sunflowers that had been near the cathedral when it had yet been in construction, a small field that had always reminded him of her. 

And he is grateful for it, he really is, that Alleria is still here, still in his arms, that neither his mistakes nor hers have driven them apart; yet chest tightens with feelings he can’t quite silence, longing getting the best of him. Would that he could touch her again, if only one more time, knowing to etch it in his memory as perfectly as his admittedly imperfect human memory would be able to. Neither of them had known it would be like this when they had been to Argus and she made her fateful choice. Turalyon had not forgotten the agonizing pain the mere touching of their hands had caused, shocked as he had been at his inability to even hold the hand of the one who held his heart; and then Alleria had sent him back to find his way to the Army of the Light, all promises she was still herself, that she loved him so, that her path was elsewhere but it was not opposite to his, and he had felt as if watching her run towards death, much like she had all those years ago in trying to meet her end in orcs’ blades.

Now he knew, though. Now he knew she had done only what she believed necessary. And if they could have one last touch, he would know to appreciate it for what it was, not taken for granted as he once had; for if the painful moment after she had embraced darkness was clear enough a memory, he had found he didn’t know which had been the last time he had been able to touch her without pain, but pure and simple way to convene care and love. 

It is the smallest thing he misses, the ones no one puts much thought to; the ability to plant a kiss to the top of her head, now, for no reason other than because he felt like it, because he loved her so and she was close enough to do it, or the ability to run his fingers through her hair, or having her pressed close to him without the need of thick enough layers of fabric to make it safe, being able to feel her warmth against his skin.

Instead there is only the warmth of early morning sunlight, her hair shining gold as if infused with it, the cloudless blue of Azeroth’s sky above them, her breathing so quiet he cannot hear it, even though he can see the rise and fall of her chest indicating it. Her head rests against his chest, ear pressed against in way he knew to be her listening to his heartbeat (and Turalyon recalled her softspoken murmur saying she had missed it, when first they had been this close again after so many years apart). 

To Azeroth, it had been only decades, but to them, it had been a thousand years, several of which they had been apart; yet here, in this moment, he felt as much love for her as he had when they had departed through the Dark Portal. Even before; it was no secret he had fallen for her immediately, a love that had only grown the closer he got to the ranger. A love that had always been - and would always be - there; and that he had nearly lost, blinded by his path and ignorant of her feelings.

“You’re too quiet. Have you fallen asleep?”

Her question interrupts his train of thought momentarily, and he lowers his gaze from sky above towards Alleria again, only to find her cyan eyes looking up to him. “No.”

“What’s on your mind?”

He nearly answers _nothing_ , but catches himself before doing so; it had been important decision they had made, when at last beginning to mend their fractured relationship: if this was to work, they had to trust each other with their thoughts and feelings like they had before. Turalyon regretted driving her away enough that Alleria had once more hidden beneath all the walls he had taken so long to get her to lower; regretted that he himself had grown more guarded towards her than he had ever wished to be. Indeed, their paths had grown widely divergent; but he knew her heart to be the same, and no matter how dark the path she treaded, for as long as she was Alleria, he would hold nothing but love for her.

That she had found in herself to love him just as much was all the more reason to be grateful, he thought, remembering advice he had offered the young king of Stormwind. _We also have our own minds and hearts. We should make use of those as well._ Lesson learned the hard way, lesson he wished he did not have to learn; but luckily learnt in time. He knew Alleria, and he understood her decisions, and he loved her; his heart and mind both would have him nowhere other than her side, no matter how the Light felt about the Void. It would not command him again; it was to be a guide, after all, and no more. The time since their return had him realize much he had lost sight of in seemingly endless war; realize once more what was important, what was worth sacrifice and devotion and boundless loyalty.

How could he ever offer her anything but? Alleria may be there, held in his arms, listening to the steady beat of his heart, yet she had long been its owner.

“That I miss being able to touch you.” Alleria averts her gaze, then, shifting back to the position she had been in before, ear pressed against his chest and face hidden from his sight. His arms hold her closer, as close as he can, content as he feels her relax slightly once more. “But mostly that I am impossibly in love with you, Alleria.”

“That I am glad --- for this, to be here. And that anything is worth it, as long as we’re still together.”


End file.
